Moscow pressures families of Ukrainian POWs to register blocked Starlink terminals

Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War stated that Russia is pressuring relatives of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) to register Starlink satellite communication terminals in their own names. These terminals were previously blocked after Russia used Starlink terminals in its drones, hitting, including Ukrainian civilian infrastructure.

A Molniya drone equipped with a Starlink terminal

The Coordination Headquarters noted that Russia continues to view the relatives of Ukrainian captives as a resource for manipulation.

The agency reminded that Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense, in cooperation with SpaceX engineers, had successfully disabled illegal Starlink terminals. These terminals had been used by the Russian military to provide communication for combat units and drones.

“Searching for a way out of their predicament, the Russian occupiers have turned their attention to the families of prisoners of war. Cases of threats and demands to officially register Starlink terminals in their names have been documented. This equipment is then intended to be used against Ukraine and Ukrainians,” the statement reads.

The Coordination Headquarters emphasized that the official registration of a terminal enables easy identification of the individual responsible, as the person must verify their identity.

The Coordination Headquarters called on Ukrainians to contact them and law enforcement agencies if they receive offers or threats to register terminals in their name.

On January 29, 2026, the Ministry of Defense reported that Ukraine and SpaceX are working to resolve the issue of Starlink usage on Russian drones.

On February 1, Mykhailo Fedorov, the Minister of Defense, announced that unverified Starlink terminals in Ukraine would be disabled as part of further steps to combat Russian drones using the technology for attacks.

On February 7, Serhii Flash, a Ukrainian military communications expert, reported that the Russians are seeking ways to activate Starlink terminals at the front, possibly by offering monetary incentives to Ukrainians.